Folding box.



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FFFFFF FF X- OOOOO OO U Patented July 8, I902. B. B. MCFADDEN.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN B. MOFADDEN, OF BINGHAMTON, NEXV YORK.

FOLDING BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704;,080, dated July 8, 1902. Application filed September 12, 1901. Serial No. 75,216. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. MCFAD- DEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Folding Box, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to foldable paper boxes and is designed to provide an improved device of this character which is light and durable, so as to be particularly adapted for storing and shipping merchandise.

It is also designed to render the box dustproof at the ends thereof, where the sections of the box are connected, as the ordinary type of foldable paper boxes are usually loose at these points, and thereby permit of the ingress of dust.

Another object resides in arranging the body-sections of the box so as to brace and stiffen the latter, and thereby to obviate crushing of the box by light blows, and thus to protect the contents of the box.

Another object is to arrange the top or cover of the box so that it may be folded back to expose the open top of the box without damage to the fold or crease between the cover and the back of the box, and also to maintain the cover in its open position without requiring it to be held by hand or by some other means.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a paper box constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the box partly closed. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the blank, from which the box is formed. Fig. at is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4: lof Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the box, the cover or lid being parttg open.

Fig. (3 is a detail form a box.

perspective view of the supplemental box member.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention I provide a blank, which embodies a bottom section 1, a front section 2, a corresponding back section 3, and a lid or cover section at, the blank being scored along the dividing-lines between adjacent sections, so that the latter may be folded into the form of a substantially rectangular box in the ordinary manner. The bottom section is provided with opposite end flaps 5, which are coextensive with the width of the bottom section and also with the respective ends of the box. The front section 2 is also provided with the opposite end flaps 6, which are substantially coextensive with the ends of the box and are designed to lie upon the outer sides of the end flaps 5 when the blank has been set up to The cover or lid section is provided with the opposite end flaps 7, and also a longitudinal flap 8, extending for the entire length of its outer edge and folded upon itself, so as to stiffen the same.

In order that the body of the box may be stiffened and strengthened, it is formed in two sections, one of which has been heretofore described, and the second section comprises an intermediate body portion 9, which is coextensive with the front and back of the box and is provided with the opposite end flaps 10, which have their outer ends reduced to form narrow tongues 11, the intermediate portion of each end flap being provided with a tongue 12, which is out and bent therefrom and also projected inwardly upon the inner side of the flap. One of the terminal flaps 10 is applied exteriorly to one of the end flaps 6 with the tongue 11 passed inwardly through a slit 13,formed transversely in the inner portion of the flap 6, the adjacent tongue 12 being passed through another slit 14, disposed parallel with and outwardly from the slit 13, whereby the two box members are detachably connected.

In setting up the box the bottom end flaps 5 are folded upwardly, and then the front section 2 is folded upwardly and its end flaps 6 are folded across the outer sides of the re-' spective flaps 5, after which the supplemental section 9 is folded around across the rear edges of the end flaps 5, and the free end of the section is then connected to the other flap 6 in the manner hereinbefore described. The back section 3 is then folded upwardly against the part 9, and the cover or lid 4 is folded over upon the top of the box with the flaps 7 passed downwardly between the inner and outer members of the ends of the box formed by the flaps 5, 6, and 10, the longitudinal edge flap 8 lying upon the outer side of the front of the box and secured thereto in any preferred manner-as, for instance,by means of a pliable metallic tongue or strip 15, carried by the free edge of the flap 8 and passed through and bent over upon a loop-shaped keeper 16, which is secured to the front section 2. In order that the end flaps 7 of the cover may be conveniently folded down into the spaces between the inner and outer members of the respective ends of the box, the outer corners of said flaps are rounded, so as to prevent binding thereof upon the upper edge of the front of the box.

It will now be seen that the back of the box and the opposite ends thereof have two thicknesses or folds, thereby to materially stiffen and strengthen the body of the box. Also the end fiaps 7 of the cover fit between the separate members of the respective ends of the box and are substantially coextensive therewith. By this arrangement in connection with the supplemental box member 9, covering the inner edges of the end flaps 5, all the cracks and openings at the ends of the box, where the sections are connected together, are effectually closed, thereby to exclude dust from gaining access to the interior of the box. It will of course be understood that the boxes are originally sent to the consumer in the form of a blank, so as to occupy as little space as possible, the detachable section 9 being connected to the main section whenever it is desired to set up the box.

Upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be noted that when the cover 4 is folded back to expose the open top of the box the back member 3 of the main blank also folds backwardly therewith, whereby it is not necessary to bend the cover backwardlybeyond the plane of the back portion 3, and the latter is not folded baekwardly beyond the bottom 1, so there is no damage done to the creases between the cover and the back and the back and the bottom, and the cover remains in its open position without requiring that it be held by hand or by other means. This feature of the box is very important, as it permits of the repeated opening of the lid or cover without damage to any of the folds or creases of the main blank, whereby the life of the box is materially increased. It is possible to move the back portion 3 with the cover by reason of the fact that the separate blank member 9 embraces the rear edges of the end flaps of the box and normally lies be- 1 scribed, it will of course be understood that the supplemental box member may be permanently connected to the flaps 6 bypasting the flaps 10 to the flaps 6, so as to form a rectangular body. This construction is indicated in Fig. 5, wherein the flap membei's 10 are pasted to the outer sides of the flaps 0-. The rest of the box is as shown in the other figures of the drawings.

The object of having the supplemental box member pasted to the main box member is that it provides a smooth unobstructed end whereby printedlnatter may be applied directly thereto, which feature is not possible when the supplemental box member is detachably connected to the flaps '6 by the tongueand-slit connection, hereinbefore described. However, instead of pasting the supplemental box-section the tongue-and-slit detachable connection may be applied to the front section 2 or the back section 3, whereby the smooth unobstructed portion of the supplemental section will lie across the outer side of the flap 5, thereby to secure the same advantage as is obtained by pasting the supplemental member.

I have shown in the drawings but one form of fastening means; but I wish it understood that my present invention comprehends the use of any fastening devices which can be adapted to the purpose.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A box, formed in two separate blank members, the main blank having four main sections, a front side section at one end of the blank, a cover-section at the opposite end of the blank, a bottom section at the inner edge of the front section, and a back section between the bottom and cover sections, the front and back sections corresponding in size and the bottom and cover sections correspond ing in size, each of the front, bottom and cover sections havingopposite end flaps,whieh are substantially coextensive with the end of the box, and the other blank member comprising an intermediate body corresponding to the back section, and having opposite terminal flaps which fit against the ends of the box.

2. A box,comprising two separate members, the main member having a bottom section, a front section, a back section, a cover-section carried by the back section and provided with opposite end flaps, the bottom and front sections also being provided with end flaps, of which the front flaps lie upon the outer sides of the bottom flaps, and the other member embracing the rear edges of the bottom flaps and having its opposite ends folded across and connected to the front flaps, the spaces between the bottom flaps and the front flaps forming pockets for the reception of the respective cover-flaps.

3. A box formed in two separate foldable members, the main box member having a bottom, a front, opposite ends, a back, and a cover carried by the back, and the other memher having an intermediate body portion embracing the rear edges of the ends of the box between said ends and the back portion of the main blank, and also provided with opposite end flaps which are connected to the box, whereby the back portion of the main blank is foldable away from the box with the cover to fully expose the open top of the box.

4. A box formed in two separate foldable members, the main member having a bottom, a front, opposite ends, a back, and a cover carried by the back, and the other member being applied to the rear edges of the ends of the box to form a back normally lying be tween the ends of the box and the back of the main blank and thereby to complete the body of the box, whereby the back of the main section is foldable rearwardly with the cover to fully expose the open top of the box.

5. A box formed in two separate members, the main member having a bottom section, front and back sections carried thereby, a

cover-section hinged to the back section, the cover, bottom and front sections being provided with opposite end flaps, each of the front flaps being provided with a pair of trans verse slits, and the other box member having an intermediate body portion corresponding to the front and back of the main member and provided with opposite end flaps, the outer end of each flap being reduced to form a tongue, and the intermediate portion of the flap having a tongue out and bent therefrom and projected toward one end thereof.

6. A box formed in two separate members, the main box member having upstanding bottom flaps, opposite side flaps folded across the outer sides of the bottom flaps, and a cover provided with opposite end flaps to fit within the pockets formed by the adjacent bottom flaps and side flaps, and the other box member having an intermediate body portion applied to one side of the box and provided with opposite end flaps embracing the respec tive ends of the box and connected to the adjacent side flaps thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJ. B. MCFADDEN,

\Vitnesses:

F. W. JENKINS, ANNA E. PEAKE.

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